bscfa - Channel 5 Belize

BSI says COI is an assault on its business interests

Belize Sugar Industries Limited fired off a press release saying that it denounces a commission of inquiry into its private affairs. BSI says that Prime Minister John Briceño announced the Commission of Inquiry (COI) “with a mandate to delve into the private affairs of BSI, with the sole purpose of providing ammunition for one cane farmer association, the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA), to continue its relentless effort to coerce BSI to pay more for cane without any economic or business justification.”

BSI asserts that the three other cane farmers’ associations that represent “roughly half the cane do not support the COI.”

According to BSI, “This decision is politically driven and totally erodes ASR’s investor confidence as the largest US investor in Belize and undermines representations made by the Government of Belize to ASR in 2012 that it would receive fair treatment.”

BSI says that it will not be compelled to “produce proprietary and confidential commercial information, the rights over which are protected by law.”

“BSI sees this Commission of Inquiry as a further assault on its business interests and outright bad faith by the government.”

Commission of Inquiry into the Sugarcane Industry Set to Proceed

In a press release on Tuesday evening, the Briceño Administration said that the Commission of Inquiry into the sugarcane industry is set to proceed.” The statement came after the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA) called a press conference at its headquarters in Orange Walk Town regarding the promised Commission of Inquiry.

During the press conference, Alfredo Ortega, Vice-Chairman, B.S.C.F.A., said “As you can see we have reached March and the signing of the document was in January. Thirty days was in February. So we have long past due that. Now that we have reached this stage and we have listened, because first we were waiting for the government or the prime minister to declare, because he said in his interview on Friday that he is the one in charge to declare the commission of inquiry.”

He further stated that “We were waiting for that, but when we listened to what he said on Friday we can clearly say he lied to us, he lied to the cane farmers and that is why we are here. We want to clearly see how the prime minister behaves, lying to the cane farmers, lying to us, lying to the Belizean people in his statements, he said that we are not the only association.”

In its press release, the government said, “Today, Prime Minister Hon. John Briceño approved the terms of reference as well as the appointment of the commissioners to the inquiry into the sugarcane industry of Belize.”

It said “The commission is expected to review the entire value chain of the sugarcane industry to establish the benchmark costs, determine efficiencies and recommend measures to increase efficiencies. Specifically, the commission is to determine the cost of sugarcane farming, harvesting and transporting, as well as sugar manufacturing, operating, transportation and logistics costs.”

BSCFA Holds Press Conference in O.W.

The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA) is hosting a press conference at its headquarters in Orange Walk Town. The BSCFA says the purpose of the press conference is to respond to statements made by the Prime Minister in the media last Friday regarding a court ruling on the Sugar Industry (Licence to Import/Export Sugar) Regulations 2023.

On February 29, 2024, High Court Judge Rajiv Gooretilleke delivered a judgement on a claim filed by Belize Sugar Industries Limited (BSI) and Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Associations (CSCPA) on May 23, 2023 against the Attorney General of Belize, the Minister of Agriculture, the Sugar Industry Control Board, and the Controller of Supplies.

BSCFA says that the Prime Minister’s admission that he wasn’t surprised by the ruling and his assurance of necessary amendments is incredulous. ” His outright capitulation to BSI continues to leave the small cane farmers at the mercy of the financial power and influence of the multinationals, BSI and TLS.”

“Equally appalling are the statements of the Prime Minister regarding the Commission of Inquiry (COI). The Prime Minister states that he heads the COI, that he is the one who has responsibility for the COI, and that it is his responsibility to ensure that there are proper consultations by everyone.”

BSCFA to PM Briceño: “Stay Pan Track”

In a press release, the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA) is telling Prime Minister John Briceño to “stay pan track.” The BSCFA says that it is appalled by statements made recently by PM Briceño in the media regarding a court judgement.

On February 29, 2024, High Court Judge Rajiv Gooretilleke delivered a judgement on a claim filed by BSCFA and Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Associations (CSCPA) against the Attorney General of Belize, the Minister of Agriculture, the Sugar Industry Control Board, and the Controller of Supplies. Within their claim, BSI/CSCPA sought court orders to declare nine regulations unconstitutional, with the judge ultimately deeming five of these regulations null and void.

Representing BSI, Godfrey Smith, Senior Counsel, questioned the purpose behind these regulations, suggesting they unfairly targeted BSI. However, BSCFA says that the reality of the situation lies in decades of strained relations between BSI and cane farmers. BSCFA says that Smith’s assertions are misleading.

*BSCFA Oscar Alonzo holding a “PM do not abandon the cane farmers” sign during a protest in December 2023.*

BSFCA says, “Equally appalling are the statements of the Prime Minister regarding the Commission of Inquiry (COI)…The Prime Minister states that he heads the COI, that he is the one who has responsibility for the COI, and that it is his responsibility to ensure that there are proper consultations by everyone. Yet he unfairly blames Hon. Jose Mai, Minister of Agriculture, for not properly consulting all stakeholders on the COI. The Prime Minister conveniently disregards the fact that the record shows that both BSI and all associations were invited to be a part of the consultation process, but only two associations…”

The release ends by stating, “The BSCFA calls on the Prime Minister to “STAY PAN TRACK” and to appeal the judgement on the regulations and to establish the Commission of Inquiry forthwith, or shall the BSCFA have to remind him where is “THE TRACK”.